The campus community is invited to the event, "A Conversation with Richard Serra," on Tuesday, Oct. 31, from noon to 1 p.m. in Robertson Auditorium, located in the Mission Bay Community Center. A reception with the artist will follow, either on the plaza where the sculpture stands or in the community center, depending on the weather.

Serra last visited UCSF Mission Bay in March 2005, when he supervised the installation of Ballast — two enormous, reddish-brown plates of weathering steel, each measuring 50 feet tall and 14 feet wide. The plates stand 133 feet apart, each tilting 18 inches in the opposite direction and weighing 80 tons.

Considered one of the most influential artists of his generation, Serra is known for his massive steel sculptures that puncture both physical and psychological space in urban settings. Ballast stands vertically in the plaza, serving as the main pedestrian entrance to the Mission Bay campus. Due to the scale and weight of the steel plates, Ballast was erected before construction of the plaza began. Read the story and see a video of the installation.

The steel plates are designed "to hold the vastness of the space, emphasizing its horizontality and holding space and volume between the two pieces," Serra said of his commissioned work.

Befitting a campus near the San Francisco Bay, the word ballast is a nautical term for heavy material used to provide stability in ships.

The Serra sculpture is part of UCSF's public art program, which includes works at Mission Bay and other UCSF locations. The goal of the Mission Bay art program is to create a visually stimulating environment and a permanent legacy to the city.

"The sculpture by Richard Serra is the centerpiece of our program for public art at UCSF Mission Bay," said UCSF Chancellor Mike Bishop, MD, at the time the work was installed. "We are proud to have this extraordinary work by a distinguished native son of San Francisco. It should play a major role in making our Mission Bay campus a memorable place to work and visit."

Source: Lisa Cisneros

First posted September 29, 2006

Last updated September 29, 2006

Richard Serra sculpture: Ballast

Standing 133 feet apart, Ballast, designed by American sculptor Richard Serra, was erected on March 22, 2005. Photo by Majed.